1. You are also a very strong correspondence
player. What are the basic differences between an OTB game and a Correspondence
game?
A: In correspondence chess the most important is
to have good positional understanding, in order to guide the computer analysis.
OTB the most important is to have a good repertoire (and good memory) and
calculate variations with accuracy. Also, in correspondence chess you should
search for the truth, while OTB you should be practical.
2. It is said that correspondence play increases
the strength of a chess player, do you agree with this; can you comment?
A: Correspondence chess trains the chessplayer
in a very important ability: the search for the truth. This can be very helpful
for a professional player, mainly in his work on openings. However,
correspondence chessplayers should remember that in OTB you should see many
moves ahead, and this ability is usually untrained.
3. What can you prescribe to an average player who
wants to be a strong world class player like you?
A: You should always train
your calculation powers and think with your own head.
And work a lot!
4. The previous world chess championship was decided
by a blitz game. Do you think an addition of one or more correspondence games to the World
Championship schedule would be a
positive move?
A: I don`t think so. OTB and Correspondence
Chess are different and I don`t think they should be mixed.
GM (FIDE & ICCF) Rafael Leitao
5. What is the level of an OTB game in comparison
with a Correspondence game?
A: Certainly
Correspondence Chess games have fewer mistakes, so they should be always
observed especially when preparing an opening. However, OTB chess has a sort of
drama which is missing in correspondence. Both have their own kind of beauty,
though objectively correspondence games have a higher level.
6. We make affordable special professional
databases like the Sokolsky opening, King's Indian Attack, The Trompowsky
opening etc. What are your favorite
openings? Do you think when playing
correspondence chess a different opening choice should be made?
A: I like to play the Sicilian, Nimzo and 1.d4.
In correspondence you an basically choose whatever opening you like, since you
have time to work on it, as well as a database to be consulted. But the choice
must be restricted to classical openings. Offbeat systems have no future in
correspondence chess.
A: I like to search for
all high level games in a given system first, so I can get a feel on it. Then I
start analysing more deeply and use the openings tree, so I can know exactly
all the moves that were played in a given line.
8. Can you analyse one of your favourite
correspondence games for us? If possible
in PGN format.
9. What rating would Houdini engine achieve in ICCF without any
human intervention?
A: I don`t know, but he
would have a rating anyway. By the way, many players only play the computer
suggestion, without interacting. This limits their playing potential.
1- Under what circumstances human intervention
affects the outcome of a correspondence game?
A: In some cases a human
evaluation can be very important, especially in attacking positions. Computers
have no feel for danger and sometimes their evaluation is way out of the mark.
1- How much do you benefit from chess engines in
your correspondence games?
A: I always use them, but
I do not follow them blindly.
1- According to you which engine is the best engine?
A: Houdini 3 Pro
1- What other software do you use?
A: ChessBase 12 and Fritz
13 interface, along with other engines.
1- How long do you think chess will last under the
impact of technological developments? Do you think the computers will solve all
chess probabilities and tell the result of a game beforehand?
A: This will be impossible
for many years to come. It will happen at some point, but we will find ways to
keep chess interesting, maybe with some small changes in the rules.
1- In the advent of such probability will there be
any meaning left to chess , may it be correspondence or OTB?
A: Surely correspondence
chess suffers with the computers advance, but OTB will always have meaning.
It`s impossible to remember computer lines for all the possibilities, to say
the least.
1- Have you ever been hired to improve a chess
engine or would you like to take up such a job?
A: No, never received such
an offer. I am more interested in improving my professional results and develop
as a chess trainer.
1- What are your long term goals? Would you like
to be the FIDE and the ICCF World champion at the same time?
A: I want t o improve my OTB play.
Correspondence Chess in not my focus, I only do it for fun.
1- What can you tell us about the 26th
ICCF World Championship. What were the crucial moments ; for example you didn't
lose a single game and became third, can you comment a little further?
A: I was surprised by my
good result. I just played some classical setups and never followed the
computer blindly. My positional understanding helped me to achieve a good
result.
- And now for our last question, you were in The
Turkish Republic during the Olympics what
was your impressions about our country?
A: I have been 3 times to
Turkey already. I really like the country and feel at home there. I wish I can
return!
Thank you very much for your kind cooperation. We wish
you good luck and much success.
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